Gov. Charlie Crist warns S. Floridians not to be complacent

Josh HafenbrackSun-Sentinel.com

Gov. Charlie Crist and state emergency planners today warned that South Florida could see the impacts of Tropical Storm Fay - including flooding and tornadoes - even if the storm stays aimed at the state's West Coast.

"Floridians should not focus on the storm track necessarily," Crist said at a news briefing at the state's Emergency Operations Center. "They should be aware that impacts can be broader than where the storm track indicates.

"Don't follow just the black line that goes up the middle of the cone," the governor added.

Crist issued an executive order today allowing counties to suspend early voting activities. Already, Monroe County in the Keys has suspended voting Monday and Tuesday. No decision has been made in Broward and Palm Beach counties, said Secretary of State Kurt Browning.

The state EOC is in Level 2, or partial, activation, with about 4,500 National Guard troops ready to be deployed if necessary. No request has been made yet for a federal disaster declaration.

Ben Nelson, the state's meteorologist, said although Fay has not gained intensity today, that potential still exists, particularly as the storm emerges off the Cuban coastline and heads toward Florida.

He said the storm's main threats are tornadoes and flooding  emphasizing South Florida is at risk for both even if the storm strikes somewhere between Fort Myers and Tampa, as the current track indicates. Strong winds off the Gulf Coast could interact with Fay's circulation, creating a moderate to high risk of tornadoes across the Florida peninsula, he said.

"The exact center of Fay may not be that important," Nelson said. "As we know, tornadoes can occur far away from the tropical storm or Category 1 potential hurricane such as Fay."

Craig Fugate, director of the state's Division of Emergency Management, said even if Fay is a tropical storm or Category 1, meaning winds of 74 to 95 mph, residents should recognize the storm's deadly potential.

"Too many people have died in a minimal hurricane or a tropical system," Fugate said. "These are very dangerous conditions For a lot of people, it's this tendency to want to get out right after the storm, to see what happened. And we will probably have power lines down. If we have flooding, we'll have roads covered.

"Be safe, be smart. Don't underestimate. These storms don't have to be this deadly if people will just use some common sense. Stay inside. There is no reason why we should lose people. But a minimal hurricane, to someone who's lost a loved one, will always be just a hurricane. You've got to understand there's a risk there."

Added Nelson: "There's really no such thing as a minimal hurricane."

The state's hurricane watch has been extended up the West Coast to Manatee County. A tropical storm warning remains in effect in South Florida up to Jupiter Inlet Colony in Palm Beach County.

Along with local authorities, the state Department of Health has set up a special-needs shelter in Miami-Dade County, where about two-dozen mostly elderly people who rely on oxygen or electricity have been moved.